Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba on Wednesday reviewed in detail the lockdown and the measures being taken for prevention and control of Covid-19 infection, in a video conference with chief secretaries, home secretaries, industry secretaries and DGPs of all the states.
Chhattisgarh chief secretary RP Mandal, additional chief secretary (home) Subrat Sahoo, principal secretary (commerce and Industry) Manoj Pingua, health secretary Niharika Barik Singh and other officials attended it.
Mandal informed the Union cabinet secretary that in Chhattisgarh, 4,933 people have been tested for Covid-19, out of which 33 were found positive, which is the lowest number of Covid-19 positive cases diagnosed in the entire country.
Twenty-three out of the 28 districts in the state have no patients of Covid-19, he said.
The chief secretary said that Covid-19 dedicated, well-equipped hospitals or facilities with a total of 1,700 bed-capacities are ready. Besides, adequate numbers of rapid testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and other essential goods are available in the state.
The Union cabinet secretary gave instructions to examine and identify work that can be done while keeping physical distance by April 20.
In rural areas, MNREGA work, water conservation, road construction, pond-related work among others can be done while keeping physical distance and employment can be provided in the rural areas.
Besides, industries can resume production if they have proper food, and accommodation facilities for the workers within the premises of the industrial areas, the Union cabinet secretary said.
Inter-state transport will not be resumed as of now, the central official said, and added that the need for strict implementing of the lockdown in infection hotspots is must.
Besides, the state government can decide on agricultural work, rural development work and other employment-oriented work in the rural areas until April 20.